How to Stain an Oak Door

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Oak is a traditional hardwood. It is characterized by brown grain lines that swirl, dip and zigzag through a complex pattern of amber or light pink colors. The patterns in oak are similar to a snowflake; none is the same. Some of the grain lines can be quite subtle. To properly appreciate the complicated beauty of oak, it should be stained to bring patterns to the surface. If you plan on placing an oak door anywhere in your home, add stain to produce the best-looking door.

1

Place the door flat across two sawhorses. Remove all the hardware.

2

Fold a piece of 180-grit sandpaper three times. Use it to randomly sand the surface of the door to remove any loose fibers, smooth rough spots and round sharp corners. Sand the door again, moving parallel to the grain only. Do both sides.

3

Dip a staining sponge into an open can of stain. Liberally wipe the surface and all four edges with the saturated sponge. If the sponge gets dry, dip it in stain again and continue until the door is completely wet with stain.

4

Wipe the door off immediately with a dry cotton cloth. Wait 30 minutes and turn the door over. Wipe this side of the door with the stain saturated sponge. You don't need to wipe the edges. Immediately wipe the stain off with the cotton cloth. Wait one hour for the stain to dry before applying lacquer, varnish or polyurethane.

Things You Will Need

18-grit sandpaper

Staining sponge

Stain

Cotton cloth

Tips

Run a few test samples on some scrap pieces of oak before selecting your stain.

One quart of stain will cover one door with some left over for the jamb or trim.

Warnings

If you're using a stain with heavy filler, some stain bleeding may occur. If you see small dots of stain appearing on the surface of the door a few minutes after wiping it off, wipe it again. Wait and wipe again if necessary.

About the Author

Specializing in hardwood furniture, trim carpentry, cabinets, home improvement and architectural millwork, Wade Shaddy has worked in homebuilding since 1972. Shaddy has also worked as a newspaper reporter and writer, and as a contributing writer for Bicycling Magazine. Shaddy began publishing in various magazines in 1992, and published a novel, “Dark Canyon,” in 2008.